Economy-watchers are searching for evidence that the housing market is starting to hit bottom. And in recent months, there has been some evidence that the end of the great housing bust may be near.
This week offers a reality check, with three key pieces of housing-related data coming out. But to interpret the data, it helps to realize that the end of the housing bust means different things, and could come at different times, depending on what data you consider.
Home sales will likely hit a bottom first — and may have already done so. Data on existing home sales in March is scheduled to come out Thursday and new home sales on Friday. Both measures of housing activity picked up in February, a sign that between cheap foreclosed-on houses and low mortgage rates, the volume of sales may finally have stopped falling. This week’s data will be a test of that thesis. Analysts are expecting a mixed bag, with new-home sales rising modestly but existing home sales falling a bit.
Source: The Washington Post
